Le Mans June 2008

Jaffa Racer organised a weekend to see the Le Mans 24 Hour Race in June 2008. The trip was based in Bagnoles de l'Orne about an hour from the race track. Bagnoles is a lovely small town, very clean and wonderfully picturesque and it made a superb base for the weekend. The event was fun from start to finish, with a great race, some superb driving on wondeful french roads and a great bunch of people to have a laugh with. Well done Kev for putting together such a fun weekend.

The 2008 Le Mans Race

The Race

Source: Wikipedia

The race began at 3:00 pm local time (GMT+1), with the French Tricolour Flag being waved by a group of astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The three Peugeot 908s led the field into the first chicane, but Allan McNish overtook the #7 Peugeot of Nicolas Minassian at the exit of the Dunlop Chicane. Minassian retook the position on the Mulsanne Straight, and the Peugeots maintained the top three positions at the end of the first lap.

In the early hours, the Peugeot #8, Pole setter and only car to set a fast race lap under 3:20, by black flag had been ordered into the pits to repair the headlights. This car trailed the other Diesels by several laps. The GT2 class saw drama for the two Porsches which had been battling for the class lead, as #80 collided with the Pole setting Porsche #76. Only #77 could continue after lengthy repairs.

The situation after 12 hours was as follows: Peugeot #7 was leading, with the first five being within 2 laps, with Audi #2 in 2nd, followed by Peugeot #9, and the Audi #3 and #1. Due to the fast pace in close competition, and despite 34min of safety car neutralisation, the leaders had completed 200 laps after 12 hours, the laps and distances covered in 1971 and 1988 might have been topped despite the track having chicanes now. In the LMP2 class, the leader was 10th overall, the two Porsche being within a lap, leading the next car by 9 laps. In GT1, the leader was 15th overall, the Aston Martins and Corvettes racing head to head less than a minute apart, with six cars being within six laps. The GT2 class, the leading Ferrari was 26th overall, with no less than five Ferrari battling for the Italian class win which was to be expected after the two class leading Porsche had collided, and five other GT2 cars were already out.

The second half of the race was under wet conditions. In the end, Audi and Kristensen won once again, with the best Peugeot being in the same lap, but not in reach for overtaking. The six factory-entered Diesels dominated the LMP1 class, having no major problems. The Porsche RS Spyders dominated the LMP2 class, beating several LMP1 also in fastest lap times. In the GT1 class, the Aston placed 13th overall prevailed over a Corvette which also covered 344 laps, with three more GT1 chasing them. Of the five Ferrari which had led the GT2 class, three made it to the finish ahead of the remaining ill-fated Porsches which were capable of lapping slightly faster. Of the 35 cars still running after 24 hours, only one failed to cover 70% of the 381 laps of the winner. Despite the conditions, the distance record on the current track layout, 380 laps, set in 2006, was beaten by one lap by both the #2 Audi and the #7 Peugeot.

Provisional results

Class winners are marked in bold. Cars finishing the race but not completing 70% of the winner's distance or cars not finishing the race at the end of 24 hours (marked as DNF; regardless of distance) are listed as NC (Not Classified).

Statistics

Fastest Lap - #8 Peugeot 908 HDI - 3:19.394

Average Speed - #2 Audi R10 TDI - 216.3 km/h

Brief History

24 Hours of Le Mans

The 24 Heures du Mans is one of the most extreme tests of skill and endurance in the world of motor racing, as teams of drivers compete to travel the greatest distance over a full 24-hour period. Over the years the race has provided some dramatic and memorable moments, firmly establishing itself among the most eagerly anticipated events on the worldwide sporting calendar.

History of the 24 Hours of Le Mans

Auto racing originated as a way of testing the new vehicles for speed and endurance. In 1923, the Automobile Club of the Sarthe, which had established the first French Grand Prix, decided to organize a race that would test not only around-the-clock endurance but also auto headlights, which were still in their infancy.

The result was the first 24 Hours of Le Mans race, originally called the Grand Prix of Endurance. The first race began at 4 p.m. May 26, 1923, during a tempestuous rain storm accompanied by bursts of hail.

Thirty-five cars from 18 different manufacturers entered that race. When it ended at 4 p.m. the following day, the winner was a Chenard and Walcker "Sport" driven by Andre Lagache and Rene Leonard. The car covered 2,209.536 kilometers at an average speed of 92.064 kilometers per hour - about 57.2 miles an hour.

Although the reliability of headlights is now taken for granted, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is still a major test of the endurance of an auto, driven continuously at high speeds.

Teams originally included only two drivers. Since 1977, a team has been allowed, but not required, to have three drivers.

Pre-qualifying sessions take place in early May, with qualifying rounds a month later and the race itself on a weekend in mid-June.

In Summary, the first edition of the Le Mans 24 hour race took place in May 1923 and while the cars may have changed beyond recognition over the years, the race retains its distinctive allure, attracting around a quarter of a million fans each year.

My favourite Le Mans Winner - Bentley Speed 8 (2003)

The 2003 LE MANS Race was dominated from start to finish by the two Bentley Speed 8's, with victory going to the no.7 Bentley of Tom Kristensen, Ninaldo Capello and Guy Smith. This was Kristensen's fifth, consecutive, victory in only his seventh year at the 'Circuit De La Sarthe'. The victory was Bentley's first at LE MANS for 73 years and was further complemented by the second place of the No 8 Bentley, driven by Johnny Herbert, David Brabham and Mark Blundell.Finally the picture on the right is my 1/18th Autoart model of this car signed by Guy Smith!